So far this season, the “Cruz missiles” managed by Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz have come exclusively in the batter’s box via his team-leading eight home runs.

However, Cruz’s ability to barrel the baseball is matched by an exceptionally strong arm, which he demonstrated often at shortstop before switching positions to center field last August.

For example, in mid-July of 2022, he fired a 97.8 throw to first base on a routine grounder, setting a record for the fastest recorded infield assist in the Statcast era (since 2015).

But since settling in as a center fielder, Cruz has created less flash plays with his howitzer.

More often, Cruz has missed his cutoff man and made bad reads when attempting to get the ball back into the infield.

But Monday’s 6-3 loss in St. Louis offered Cruz a perfect opportunity to showcase his powerful arm and fire off another version of the “Cruz missile.”

After the Cardinals had already plated four runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead, two runners remained on base with one out and Lars Nootbaar batting.

Nootbaar lifted a fly ball to Cruz in center, which he easily caught for the second out, prompting Victor Scott to try to tag up from third.

Cruz then fired a perfect strike to Joey Bart at home plate, gunning down Scott for an inning-ending double play.

“It was a good throw,” manager Derek Shelton said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “We know he’s got a good arm, and he made a nice throw.”

Cruz’s throw was recorded at 100 mph and also went for his first career outfield assist in his 52nd career start in center.

The 26-year-old Nizao, Dominican Republic, native has now played 268 1/3 innings in center field this season, recording 79 putouts and committing four errors.

Cruz had among the better all-around nights for the Pirates on Monday, who dropped their fifth straight game and remain winless in May.

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Leading off in the top of the first inning, Cruz chopped a soft grounder to pitcher Miles Mikolas but hustled to first base and beat Mikolas’ throw, securing an infield single.

Moments later, Bryan Reynolds took Mikolas deep to put the Pirates up 2-0.

In the third, Cruz saw a streak of over a year come to an end.

After being hit by a pitch from Mikolas, Cruz attempted to steal second base but was thrown out by catcher Pedro Pages.

Cruz, who trails the Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert (15) by one steal for most in baseball, had swiped 34 consecutive bags dating to April 22, 2024.

Pages’ throw was on the money though, beating a head-first diving attempt by the 6-foot-7 Cruz.

Later, in the ninth inning, Cruz had more success at the plate, getting aboard with a single off St. Louis’ Ryan Helsley to move Adam Frazier, who led off with a base hit, to third.

Cruz’s single came with two outs and put two men on for Reynolds, representing the tying run.

Reynolds came very close to tying the game with his second homer of the year, but hooked a deep shot foul down the right field line before striking out.

Cruz (2 for 4) was one of three Pirates with a multi-hit performance.

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